Koldovstvo - Ni Tsarya, Ni Boga

 



On March 3rd, 2021, Koldovstvo’s debut album 'Ni Tsarya, Ni Boga' emerged out of nowhere. There is no information on who’s in the band and where they’re from, but the record is making ripples in the dark watery black metal underground. And for good reason.


Koldovstvo means 'witchcraft' in Russian, and Ni Tsarya, Ni Boga means No Tsars, No God. Keep those in mind. Take a look at the artwork. It’s a crop of a painting called Princess Tarakanova by Konstantin Flavitsky from 1864. Now before we dive into the history of this woman, I can say that this release is cinematic, compelling, and quite extraordinary. It sounds as if it’s recorded in an old church, with old gear. The vocals vary from anguished howls to choir-like singing that gives the album a spark of hope in this whirlwind of sadness.

But is this a concept album about Princess Tarakanova? I don't know, but let's say it is, what do we need to know about this woman? Well for starters, her real name is unknown. Tarakan means cockroach in Russian, and that name was given to her because of the way she apparently died, alone, imprisoned, and surrounded by those critters. Tarakanova was an impostor who targeted the throne of Russia. She gave herself fake names and wore upper-class clothes. Unfortunately, she got caught by a statesman who seduced her and sent her to prison where she eventually died. The painting however depicts the legend of how she died, standing on a bed while her room is flooding. And there was a rumour that her death was fake. 

When listening and researching this record I couldn't help but seeing this old lady in ragged clothing, wandering around in an old ruin while weeping uncontrollably. Her story is in this record.   

Sometimes it's better to let the music speak for itself and Koldovstvo made magic with their mysterious anonymity and their incredible atmospheric black metal.

Tracklist:
1. I
2. II
3. III
4. IV
5. V
6. VI

Bandcamp vinyl USA
Bandcamp digital Name Your Price
Babylon Doom Cult Records vinyl EU
Babylon Doom Cult Records CD EU
Spotify

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